Review
BMW 3 Series
Since the introduction of the BMW 3 Series 40 years ago, more than 14 million units have been sold. About one in four BMWs sold is a BMW 3 Series Sedan or BMW 3 Series Touring. This makes it the best-selling BMW of all time. BMW recently presented the facelift of the new 3 Series. We were introduced to this through the 320d Efficient Dynamics Edition.
The new 3 Series is not a revolution, but rather an evolution. In terms of external differences with the previous generation, you have to look closely to see the changes. This includes new headlights that can optionally be fully LED and new LED rear lights as standard. The interior was also freshened up, including a new center console. The engine range was also optimized with, among other things, more efficient engines and the introduction of a three-cylinder petrol engine.
There is also a Plug-In Hybrid of the 3 Series sedan in the pipeline. This is a 330e with a system power of 252 hp, an average fuel consumption of 2.1 liters and a range of up to 35 km in pure electric mode. The basic price is around 43,000 euros.
engines
When it comes to engines, you can choose from a wide range of options. You can choose from seven variants with a petrol engine, with a power between 136 hp for the 318i and more than 326 hp in the 340i. These can be chosen with a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic transmission. The 3 Series is of course equipped with rear-wheel drive as standard. You can also opt for a number of models with intelligent four-wheel drive (xDrive). The basic prices range from 29,250 euros for a 318i sedan to 52,315 euros for a 340i xDrive sedan. Prices for the Touring are slightly higher: between 31,250 euros and 54,075 euros respectively.
You have even more options in the diesel range. There are a total of 10 engine types, starting with an entry-level 316d. This has 116 hp and an average consumption of 3.9l – 4.3l/100 km according to BMW. Certainly an interesting choice for the lease driver. You can also opt for models with more power, up to 313 hp for a very potent 335d. This is only available with xDrive and has a base price of 53,225 euros. For the Touring you have to pay at least between 32,900 euros and 55,225 euros.
BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Edition Sedan
We were introduced to the new BMW 3 Series through a test drive with the 320d EfficientDynamics Edition Sedan. With EfficientDynamics, BMW wants to reduce consumption and emissions while improving driving dynamics. They do this, among other things, by using new diesel engines, but also by reducing weight, the Auto Start Stop function, tires with reduced rolling resistance, etc. The result is an average consumption of 3.8-4.1 l/100 km and CO₂ emissions of 99.0 – 109.0 g/km for the 320d EfficientDynamic Edition with automatic gearbox and standard tires. The nice thing is that you also get a car with an easy 163 hp.
The 320d EfficientDynamics Edition Sedan has a BMW TwinPower Turbo engine with four in-line cylinders and a capacity of 1995 cc as its beating heart. This delivers a power of 163 hp and a torque of 400 Nm. For comparison: in the regular 320d you get 190 hp and also 400 Nm. The 320d EffientDynamics goes from 0-100 km/h in 7.9 seconds. That’s slightly slower than the 320d, but it doesn’t really matter that much. The car drives very nice. After all, you have a car with rear-wheel drive and this, in combination with the 50:50 weight distribution, means that you can have a lot of fun behind the wheel.
Nice options
You can further personalize a 3 Series via the Advantage, Luxury or Sport models, via the packages and versions and via individual options.
Personally, we would at least go for Sensatec as a covering. For 400 euros you get something that looks much nicer and is easier to maintain than fabric upholstery. What we would definitely take as an option is an M sports steering wheel for 230 euros. This may not seem like a need to have option, but an M sports steering wheel fits so much better in the hand and looks much nicer than the standard steering wheel. And ultimately, the steering wheel is the thing you touch most often in your car. Parking sensors (PDC) for 765 euros certainly do not seem like an unnecessary luxury to us and the Lane Change Warning for 570 euros will also provide you with a lot of everyday convenience.
Conclusion
The sales figures prove that the BMW 3 Series makes a lot of people happy. The latest generation of this top model from BMW also impressed us during the test drive. Good figures in terms of consumption and CO₂ emissions, in combination with more than sufficient power.
Johan De Haes
Test driver
